Alabama ranks 25th in the U.S. for deaths from malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare, deadly form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Mounting a mesothelioma lawsuit is a complicated process. For that reason, victims of asbestos exposure may want to hire an experienced Alabama lawyer mesothelioma who can help them to potentially win a mesothelioma settlement. Sokolove Law’s Alabama mesothelioma attorneys have helped thousands of people exposed to asbestos across the state get the help they deserve.

Those interested in filing an Alabama mesothelioma lawsuit, or a lawsuit for any asbestos cancer or asbestos-related injury, are advised to contact an Alabama lawyer mesothelioma as soon as possible after diagnosis.

alabama lawyer mesothelioma

Legal Setback for Mesothelioma Lawsuits in Alabama

Of more concern is a court case that was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Alabama court had ruled that those seeking damages due to diseases caused by toxic substances must file suit within two years of their exposure to the substance, but only after they become sick. As four of the dissenting justices in the Alabama Supreme Court observed, that ruling created an insurmountable “Catch-22″ in which it may be physically impossible for victims, for whom symptoms usually do not appear until years after asbestos exposure, to file an Alabama mesothelioma lawsuit.

With mesothelioma, the disease may not manifest within that two-year period of exposure, particularly if exposure levels were low. This creates a situation in which some victims are unable to hire an Alabama mesothelioma lawyer for help or to pursue legal action because of a statute of limitations that doesn’t reasonably apply to this disease. The case was appealed by Public Justice, a non-profit legal services organization. In a setback for plaintiffs, however, the U.S. Supreme Court made the decision not to hear the case.

As a result of the Supreme Court decision, it currently stands as law in Alabama that victims of mesothelioma have only two years after exposure to demonstrate signs of illness to the court if they are interested in hiring a Alabama mesothelioma lawyer to bring an Alabama mesothelioma lawsuit. In that case, they can pursue action as individuals; alternatively a group of affected individuals may come together to pursue action against a company. If the two-year statute of limitations has run out, the only compensation available is in the form of a wrongful death suit by the remaining family members upon the death of the mesothelioma victim.